IGN: XBox 360 NHL 2k6 Impressions

[Maestro23]

The article and vids highlight the new "Goaltending" control system. Link can be found HERE (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/664/664893p1.html)

[Grandvizier]

I think I might play a whole seperate franchise just to be a fulltime goalie. It looks fun and like a good way to do a little role-play with my hockey game.

[chex81]

meh, have you guys seen the most recent videos? The game looks horrible for a 360 game. I must say I am extremely disappointed at this point.

And im not the only one...many people who have seen those recent videos have put the game off as well...which sucks. I may still pick it up, but only if more gameplay videos are released, and actually look GOOD.

[Grandvizier]

it looks good enough. i want a game that plays well.

[yellowbigduck]

How exactly does "Grease Control" work? I'm looking at the IGN Videos, and it looks like you have to look at your defender before you can try to stop him (Did Somebody Say Madden?)

[BenGriffiths]

(Did Somebody Say Madden?)

I think YOU just did - and I think I agree with you ;-)

Although it looks liek a good feature (as was/is QB vision).

[tantalum]

The IGN review gives it a 7.1/10 (edit: 7.5/10 accidentally took down the readers review average)

to sum it up: they were essentially very disappointed in the graphics. It's a step up from X-Box but not what a next gen console should offer or people are expecting.

unlike EA titles 2k has kept all the game modes from XBox 2k6.

they feel the computer AI is not as good as the XBox version.

they likes the idea and the majority of the execution of the new goaltending system but they don't feel it is worth purchasing for the new goaltending system alone which is the only real difference. Feel that they have done better concentrating on the graphics and presentation for this initila 360 effort and introduce the goaltending concept next year with the refinement it need.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/667/667300p1.html

[pro_bono]

The IGN review gives it a 7.1/10.


Actually IGN gave it a 7.5/10. Still not bad, but I have to admit I'm a bit disappointed. I was really hoping for an overhaul of the player animations and graphics to give the game a much more lifelike appearance, instead of simply a hi-res version of the existing game. 720p/1080i will be much appreciated, and the Crease Control feature looks promising, but I was really hoping for more. I have my game preordered, and I'm sure I'll love it anyway, but sadly it looks like we'll have to wait for next year to see the real potential of the 2K series on the next gen systems. That's assuming EA doesn't weasel an exclusive deal with the NHL in the mean time.

Less than 10 months to 2K7...

[tantalum]

Actually IGN gave it a 7.5/10.

yep. corrected it.

also, it seems IGN is being quite harsh on these new games. I think they are trying a little too hard to not let the "wow" factor affect the overall review. And they are leaving room to give games 9's and 10's if much better ones come out in the next few months. But looking at the screen shots of some of the 360 release lineup they aren't as good as some of the ones in development for release next year. Many are simply greater resolution versions of the old console game. they weren't built on the 360 and then brought down a level to the other platforms. instead they were made on the older platforms and morphed up. The graphics on 2k6 are nothing compared to the screenshots released for something like Oblivion.

Of course everyone should have known that this was going to be the case with a good chunk of the early 360 games. We won't start to really get a sense of the true power for 6-12 months.

[slammerxt]

Actually 2k did what it always does make for the strongest systems and port down. Both 2k NHL and NBA were ported down to the xbox and ps2 which is why they look so great on those systems. but it is also why the 360 versions arent the leap above from old gen.

On another note, both 2k NHL and NBA retained their amazing gameplay and all their features, and acording to IGN and 1up its not inovating enough so the dropped their score. However Madden lost gameplay features and hade the same gamepay but their score didnt get dropped, whats up with that.

[slammerxt]

just wait for gamespots review, they were pretty honest and not so critical the 2ks NBA review.

[Grandvizier]

Actually 2k did what it always does make for the strongest systems and port down. Both 2k NHL and NBA were ported down to the xbox and ps2 which is why they look so great on those systems. but it is also why the 360 versions arent the leap above from old gen.

On another note, both 2k NHL and NBA retained their amazing gameplay and all their features, and acording to IGN and 1up its not inovating enough so the dropped their score. However Madden lost gameplay features and hade the same gamepay but their score didnt get dropped, whats up with that.


i get your point, and i agree. but i don't think we can assume that the Madden score wasn't marked down. maybe they'd have given it a 9.0 or something. probably not, but we don't know. sports games always get reviewed wrong because casual schmucks review them not hardcore sportsfans. but i guess that's who companies market to anyway.

[SkateZilla]

The IGN review gives it a 7.1/10 (edit: 7.5/10 accidentally took down the readers review average)

to sum it up: they were essentially very disappointed in the graphics. It's a step up from X-Box but not what a next gen console should offer or people are expecting.

unlike EA titles 2k has kept all the game modes from XBox 2k6.

they feel the computer AI is not as good as the XBox version.

they likes the idea and the majority of the execution of the new goaltending system but they don't feel it is worth purchasing for the new goaltending system alone which is the only real difference. Feel that they have done better concentrating on the graphics and presentation for this initila 360 effort and introduce the goaltending concept next year with the refinement it need.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/667/667300p1.html


This is Way Game REviewers Give Low Scores, Out of all the Nerds in that office None of the prolly know anything about hockey or how to play it,


You have to know the Sport and how its played before you review a Title Based on it...

[StratSlinger]

This is Way Game REviewers Give Low Scores, Out of all the Nerds in that office None of the prolly know anything about hockey or how to play it,


You have to know the Sport and how its played before you review a Title Based on it...I agree up to a point. The fun factor is not necessarily a given based on the knowledge of the sport.

Unfortunately no reviewer that I've seen so far has posted an honest review that dismissing any of the graphical aspects of the game. I don't really care how it looks. Have they improved the goalie AI tremendously? Do they *finally* hug the posts? Do they react much quicker? Do the wraparounds and slot shots go in almost automatically like they did on the X-Box version?

If the bugs have been fixed and the AI overhauled, then I'd be very interested in the game. Otherwise, I'll skip it and save the money as a gorgeous game with ****py AI isn't worth my time, IMHO.

[tantalum]

hey it could be worse...IGN are basically crucifying EA for the stripped down, bare bones 360 version of Fifa 06 (6.9/10) and NBA Live (5.9/10). The took them to task for madden as well though they actually made some significant gameplay changes which saved Madden's score.

[Bobvan]

After playing yesterday


The good

Flow of the Game the way it plays after playing EA'S crud for a month a while back, this is welcoming change.

Player controls very well I am not using crease control. I am playing around with the new pass system sometimes it does not go right but I think its just a matter of practice.

The graphics on 360 like the reviews say are not a leaping improvement, however the
player models and ice look really good.

highlights at the end of periods locker room cut secnes

The way the teams react after the game

The opposite CPU player names diplayed

Still the best vid hockey game bar none!


The bad

Player models look a little odd in cut scenes.
Cut secenes look like reg xbox
The Create a team unis are still the pijamas from last year.

On pro i am having 5 to 7 goal games on 12 min periods with both goalie sliders cranked on full Still better then Ea's 10-12 goals with 5 min period

The commentators almost recycle all the old lines and the way they slow down their speach at times sounds like they are talking to a toddler. However I dont mind them. And they dont mess up names like Speeeza!

The absence of the ESPN license does give it a "stripped down look"

I miss the ice girls LOL!! (JK)

Apparently the franchise bug was not addressed.

Overall its about gameplay and in that departement it holds up just fine!

[Detroitbootybass]

I, too, was quite disappointed in the 'effort' (or lack thereof) of this release...